Detailed Restoration

[vicman]

A link to a very detailed resto of 62-65 Bardahl.
great pics of everything from engine to framing etc.
A must see for true scale builders.
BARDAHL (http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~smith116/)

Eddie, engine pics of Rolls Merlin incl a drawing!:yeah: :bounce:

vicman

[AndyKunz]

Very nice! Jim Clark will like this site if he doesn't already know about it!

(JIM - that contact for Chris Seaton didn't work. Got another?)

Andy

[Eddy Matthews]

I'm certainly suspicious about the figures quoted on the site!

They claim the Merlin engine produced 3000BHP, I don't think it ever exceeded 2000 BHP even in the later versions of the engine, they also claim the boat is capable of more than 180 MPH - That would beat the WWSR of SloMoShun IV by a fair amount, and isn't that far off the current prop driven speed record!

I might be wrong, but if they can't get those simple facts right it makes me very doubtful about any of the info given on the site...

Regards
Eddy

[vicman]

Eddy, not trying to start anything but...
they also claim the boat is capable of more than 180 MPH
heres documented speeds of vintage unlimiteds (see race boat museum)
[list=1]
early 1950's, slo mo shun ran 160-180 mph
mid to late 1950's, supertest/hawaii kai ran in the 185-195 mph range
early 1960's, thriftway/us1 ran 190-200 mph range
[/list=1]
They claim the Merlin engine produced 3000BHP, I don't think it ever exceeded 2000 BHP even in the later versions of the engine
In the early 1960's the BRAKE "MEAN" HP (read as average sustained hp) during an unlimited hydroplane race was about 2500hp. To produce these kinds of numbers during a race the engine would need to be capable of producing much more than this as full hp potential is not reached during a run. Also, in my experience building engines, in todays technology with new machine processes 3000hp is by far not the upper limit potential of this particular engine, it is however a safer attainable limit from a standpoint of reliability and rebuildability.

Besides, I just wanted everyone to see the vast amount of quality pictures available along with the dimensions to maybe help ease some of the building pains we may have.

vicman

[Dan Chase]

Great find, vicman! I really liked the "Before & After" pictures!

[vicman]

Dan, its the fine details that are pointed out in the pictorials as well as the materials listing with build steps that are really the finds here. It would take weeks of searching the net to find this amount of info on one of these things to build one of your own in scale. These guys did a great job of "NOT" keeping it a secret...(for a change). I dont remember where I found the link but there were more, I just got caught up in the pics and power went out before I could go back, (after I saved the link to this site). Its storm season here in sunny Florida.

vicman

[JimClark]

Already know about that one. It is run by the son of the owner who also was a orininal crew member of the Bardahl
Jim
Andy I will see what i can do. about Chris


Originally posted by AndyKunz
Very nice! Jim Clark will like this site if he doesn't already know about it!

(JIM - that contact for Chris Seaton didn't work. Got another?)

Andy

[froggy]

Eddy the Miss U.S. set the world speed record for the Kilo in 1962 t a speed of 200 MPH that record stood until the Miss Freei did 205 but on a mile course in 2000. earlier this spring the Miss Budwieser increased that a few more mile an hour. The biggest change has been cornering speeds not staight line speed. just some info :D

[Eddy Matthews]

Thanks Vicman and Froggy, you learn something new every day! :-)

Just out of curiousity though, are US BHP and MPH figures the same as the UK versions? I know that a US gallon is different to a UK gallon, but what about BHP and MPH?

The site certainly is a GREAT source for scale builders though!

Regards
Eddy

[vicman]

No harm done Eddy. As for your question, I am not sure but,

a statute mile is 5280 feet (US linear measure)
a nautical mile is 6080 feet (US)
HP is based on Foot Pounds of force (US measure) and is pretty standard thanks to the auto industry but can be converted to a metric equivalent easily.

I dont know if this answers your question but if its metric units your looking for you can convert it from here and I am sure it is statute mile that is being used for linear measure.

vicman

[Roy Munoz]

Here is another site where there building a new 1955 Thrifway using the oringinal plans.. www.MISSTHRIFWAY.com Lots of old pictures of the Thrifway,for those that want to build one as I have.....

[rbeyer]

An Allison Thriftway and a Griffon Thriftway Too being built from scratch! Wow! I wish I still lived in the Seattle area.

Pretty cool that they had new Pistons built for the Allison and that they have FOUR Griffons that they are going to restore!

Rick